A mother of one was murdered yesterday in her home after being repeatedly threatened by her husband who she had reported to the police earlier in the morning.
Donessa Barker, 29 years, was resting when she was attacked and stabbed multiple times about her body yesterday afternoon at approximately 16:00hsr allegedly by her husband Allan Barker.
Shaneza Clarke, with whom the deceased lived with at Lot 21 Bagotville, West Bank Demerara, recalled that she heard Barker scream from the bedroom. Clarke said that as she ran to the scene she saw Barker’s husband jumping through the window while Donessa stood in shock.
Clarke recalled that the events happened so suddenly that she also began to scream for help from neighbours who called the police. Donessa walked towards the veranda as she bled profusely until she collapsed.
Clarke said that as neighbours called for the police she covered Donessa’s wounds, recalling that she only saw the stab wounds on her left arm. The police arrived quickly and Clarke was told she would need to make a statement at the La Grange Police Station. She told Stabroek News that she was not sure how Donessa was taken to the West Demerara Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. However Clarke recalled that a nurse called the police station to notify the police of the extent of Donessa’s wounds. She was stabbed numerous times on her arms, her back, and the side of her chest.
Clarke said that Donessa’s mother is coming in from overseas. Donessa and her family had only been living with her for a month.
Stabroek News was told that Donessa’s husband and Clarke’s boyfriend work together in the bush. Prior to the attack yesterday afternoon Stabroek News was made to understand that the husband was coming out of the bush and was convinced that Donessa was in a relationship with someone else. This newspaper was told that Clarke’s boyfriend had called during the week saying that the husband was coming out of the bush and had threatened to kill Donessa.
Once Donessa’s husband returned to the Bagotville home on Wednesday he allegedly cut the power to it and attempted to break in however his efforts were thwarted by neighbours. As a result of the attack on Wednesday, Donessa went to report the incident the following morning only to be murdered hours later.
Clarke told Stabroek News that the couple constantly argued. She said that since she did not know any of Donessa’s family the one-year-old child was taken home by a welfare officer.
The suspect is still at large.
